To Feel Its Touch

Alexander Mourant presents a new series of abstract works which respond to the ubiquitous cycle of urban renewal and regeneration. To Feel Its Touch began as a commission by the Financial Times to make a body of work reflecting the artist’s feelings about London and his place within it. On an early morning walk, Mourant was struck by the sight of an area of the city being excavated and unearthed. A section of the city appeared before him as a void, ruptured as if it had an open wound:

“I realised that London is essentially an interwoven lattice of materials - combining and dividing - instigating our meeting and plotting our separation.” - Alexander Mourant

Inspired by ideas around memory and the city, Mourant retraced areas of London he had known during childhood which were now undergoing change. Where he found major works he removed some excavated earth and took it back to the darkroom.

Alexander Mourant’s practice is concerned with the metaphysical nature of photography. He experiments with the photographic process to find new ways to draw attention to and question our relationship to our environment. For To Feel Its Touch he created an abstract, interconnecting photogram using nine large format negatives. The material from the London excavations was suspended in a large tank of water. Taken during one exposure, this intensely physical process imbues itself with suggestive qualities and personal memory.

Excerpt of press release, Unseen Amsterdam 2019, written by Vivienne Gamble, Founder & Director of Seen Fifteen Gallery.